“The extension recognised the significant contribution Aboriginal-run health services were making to closing the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
“This means we will be able to continue to provide high quality, culturally appropriate health care to our people for another 12 months,’’
NACCHO chairman Justin Mohamed
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INDIGENOUS-run health services will receive a 12-month lifeline in next week’s federal budget and a further five programs will be funded until June next year at a total cost of $431 million.
The Australian can reveal Health Minister Peter Dutton has approved funding of $333m for 2014-15 for the 150 National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations across the nation.
From The Australian: Funding lifeline for indigenous health by: PATRICIA KARVELAS
“Many funding agreements for indigenous health programs were due to expire at the end of June. Extending the funding to June 2015 provides the continuity for these organisations to deliver important services to indigenous people over the next 12 months,” said a spokesman for Mr Dutton.
The spokesman said 90 organisations funded through five specific programs — Primary Health Care, Healthy for Life, Australian Nurse Family Partnership, New Directions: Mothers and Babies and Stronger Indigenous Health Services — would get funding of $98m for another year.
“This government is committed to improving indigenous health,” he said.
“The government examines all funding from time to time as part of the budget process to ensure that it is spent as effectively as possible with improving health outcomes.”
The NACCHO welcomed the 12-month lifeline, but warned a long-term plan was desperately needed.
NACCHO chairman Justin Mohamed said the extension recognised the significant contribution Aboriginal-run health services were making to closing the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
“This means we will be able to continue to provide high quality, culturally appropriate health care to our people for another 12 months,’’ Mr Mohamed said.
“Yet there remains a level of uncertainty about what we will be able to continue to provide after the 2014-15 financial year.”
He said demand for the services was increasing at a rate of more than 6 per cent a year.
You can hear more about Aboriginal health and Close the Gap at the NACCHO SUMMIT
The importance of our NACCHO member Aboriginal community controlled health services (ACCHS) is not fully recognised by governments.
The economic benefits of ACCHS has not been recognised at all.
We provide employment, income and a range of broader community benefits that mainstream health services and mainstream labour markets do not. ACCHS need more financial support from government, to provide not only quality health and wellbeing services to communities, but jobs, income and broader community economic benefits.
A good way of demonstrating how economically valuable ACCHS are is to showcase our success at a national summit.
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